Youngest Centurions in the History of Test Cricket
Contents
Mohammad Ashraful – 17 years 61 days
Mohammad Ashraful is the youngest batsman in the history of Test cricket to score a Test hundred. The Bangladesh batsman smashed a ton on his Test debut and he completed his ton when he was 17 years and 61 days old. It was Bangladesh’s fifth Test match in the history of the game and Ashraful was making his Test debut against Sri Lanka. Bangladesh folded up for 90 in the first innings and Ashraful made a top score with his 26. Sri Lanka then racked up a mammoth 555/5. In the second innings, Bangladesh were 81/4 when Ashraful walked out to bat at No. 6 and he smacked a fine 114, helping Bangladesh put up some sort of resistance. Bangladesh eventually lost the game but Ashraful’s hundred went down in history as the one made by the youngest ever player and it kickstarted his career. Ashraful is also the second-youngest to have ever scored a hundred in the history of international cricket.
Mushtaq Mohammad – 17 years 78 days
It was back in 1959 that Mushtaq Mohammad made his Test debut and he was just 15 years and 124 days old when he first stepped onto the field in international cricket. He was then the youngest debutant in Test cricket. The right-hander had a sedate start to his career and it was only in his fifth Test match that Mushtaq Mohammad made history. He scored 101 against India in the second Test of the series in 1961 and became the youngest Test centurion. India scored 463 batting first and Pakistan were reduced to 89/4 when Mushtaq strode out to bat at No. 6 and scored 101. He held this record of the youngest Test centurion for almost 40 years.
Sachin Tendulkar – 17 years 107 days
This name will not surprise anyone. There are barely any batting records that Sachin Tendulkar doesn’t feature in. While he made his Test debut in November 1989, it was only in his ninth Test match that Tendulkar recorded his maiden Test hundred. He was just 16 years and 205 days old when he made his Test debut and he became the second-youngest then (third-youngest now) when he scored his maiden Test hundred at 17. He smashed a stunning 119 not out in the fourth innings in Manchester when India were chasing 408 on the final day. He also scored 68 in the first innings before demonstrating a masterclass in the second innings in a knock that lasted nearly four hours helping India draw the game.
HaHamilton Masakadza – 17 years 352 days
trong>Hamilton Masakadza is fourth on the list of the youngest Test centurions in the history of the game. The Zimbabwe batsman made his Test debut in 2001 against West Indies and it was on debut that he amassed 119 only a couple of weeks before his 18th birthday. Zimbabwe were shot out for 131 in the first innings and Masakadza could muster just 9. West Indies replied with a solid 347. With a trail of 216 runs in the second innings, Masakadza walked out at 27/1, accumulated 119 and batted for 316 deliveries which helped Zimbabwe get to 563 and earn a draw. He also batted for over six and a half hours.
ImImran Nazir – 18 years 154 days
is name could come as a surprise but Imran Nazir makes it into the list of the youngest centurions in the history of Test cricket. He has played just eight Test matches but he made history as he smashed a 180-ball 131 in just his second Test match. On debut, Nazir had scores of 64 and 13 before he got just 2 in the first innings of his second Test. Pakistan were bowled out for 253 in the first innings of that Test match against West Indies and were trailing by 145 runs at the start of the second innings. Pakistan were under pressure but Nazir came out all guns blazing. Opening the batting, he smashed 20 fours in his 261-minute stay at the crease and mustered 131. He slots in at No. 5 as he made his first Test ton when he was 18 years 154 days.
SuSummary
re is the top 10 list of the youngest centurions in the history of Test cricket. Barring Hamilton Masakadza, each of the other batters in the top 10 is an Asian. In fact, as many as six Pakistan players have made it to the top 10. Four of these batters got to their maiden Test ton before they turned 18, while four more recorded their first Test hundred before their 19th birthday. In the 21st century, four players got to their maiden Test centuries before turning 19. Prithvi Shaw was the last teenager to have recorded a Test ton and he slots in at No. 8 on the list of the youngest centurions in the history of Test cricket.
Hamilton Masakadza – 17 years 352 days
trong>Hamilton Masakadza is fourth on the list of the youngest Test centurions in the history of the game. The Zimbabwe batsman made his Test debut in 2001 against West Indies and it was on debut that he amassed 119 only a couple of weeks before his 18th birthday. Zimbabwe were shot out for 131 in the first innings and Masakadza could muster just 9. West Indies replied with a solid 347. With a trail of 216 runs in the second innings, Masakadza walked out at 27/1, accumulated 119 and batted for 316 deliveries which helped Zimbabwe get to 563 and earn a draw. He also batted for over six and a half hours.ImImran Nazir – 18 years 154 days
is name could come as a surprise but Imran Nazir makes it into the list of the youngest centurions in the history of Test cricket. He has played just eight Test matches but he made history as he smashed a 180-ball 131 in just his second Test match. On debut, Nazir had scores of 64 and 13 before he got just 2 in the first innings of his second Test. Pakistan were bowled out for 253 in the first innings of that Test match against West Indies and were trailing by 145 runs at the start of the second innings. Pakistan were under pressure but Nazir came out all guns blazing. Opening the batting, he smashed 20 fours in his 261-minute stay at the crease and mustered 131. He slots in at No. 5 as he made his first Test ton when he was 18 years 154 days.
SuSummary
re is the top 10 list of the youngest centurions in the history of Test cricket. Barring Hamilton Masakadza, each of the other batters in the top 10 is an Asian. In fact, as many as six Pakistan players have made it to the top 10. Four of these batters got to their maiden Test ton before they turned 18, while four more recorded their first Test hundred before their 19th birthday. In the 21st century, four players got to their maiden Test centuries before turning 19. Prithvi Shaw was the last teenager to have recorded a Test ton and he slots in at No. 8 on the list of the youngest centurions in the history of Test cricket.
Summary
re is the top 10 list of the youngest centurions in the history of Test cricket. Barring Hamilton Masakadza, each of the other batters in the top 10 is an Asian. In fact, as many as six Pakistan players have made it to the top 10. Four of these batters got to their maiden Test ton before they turned 18, while four more recorded their first Test hundred before their 19th birthday. In the 21st century, four players got to their maiden Test centuries before turning 19. Prithvi Shaw was the last teenager to have recorded a Test ton and he slots in at No. 8 on the list of the youngest centurions in the history of Test cricket.| Player | Age while scoring the maiden Test ton | Score | Opposition | Venue | Year |
| Mohammad Ashraful (Bangladesh) | 17 years 61 days | 114 | Sri Lanka | Colombo (SSC) | 2001 |
| Mushtaq Mohammad (Pakistan) | 17 years 78 days | 101 | India | Delhi | 1961 |
| Sachin Tendulkar (India) | 17 years 107 days | 119* | England | Manchester | 1990 |
| Hamilton Masakadza (Zimbabwe) | 17 years 352 days | 119 | West Indies | Harare | 2001 |
| Imran Nazir (Pakistan) | 18 years 154 days | 131 | West Indies | Bridgetown | 2000 |
| Saleem Malik (Pakistan) | 18 years 323 days | 100* | Sri Lanka | Karachi | 1982 |
| Prithvi Shaw (India) | 18 years 329 days | 134 | West Indies | Rajkot | 2018 |
| Shahid Afridi (Pakistan) | 18 years 333 days | 141 | India | Chennai | 1999 |
| Mohammad Ilyas (Pakistan) | 19 years 21 days | 126 | New Zealand | Karachi | 1965 |
| Mohammad Wasim (Pakistan) | 19 years 105 days | 109* | New Zealand | Lahore | 1996 |
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